Real Madrid chiefs are resigned to losing star defender Raphael Varane to Manchester United this summer.
That's according to Okdiario's chief football pundit Eduardo Inda, when speaking on El Chiringuito.
Varane is now inside the final 18 months of his Real contract and negotiations over a new deal have been dragging on. Indeed, Real Madrid president Florentino Perez will sell Varane this summer if no new terms are agreed, reports Onda Cero via Le 10 Sport. Ideally, the president would want Varane to stay with the club long-term, but he will not consider allowing Varane to run down his deal and leave for nothing in the summer of 2022.
And Inda, who launched Okdiario after leaving El Mundo, says there's now a resignation inside Florentino's board room that Varane already has plans to leave the club this summer - with Manchester United his chosen destination.
Quoted by Okdiario, Inda declared: "In the Merengues board room they assume that Varane will leave the club this summer. Possibly to play for Manchester United, who have loved him for a long time.
"They have to make money, otherwise Madrid will have a deficit of forty-odd million (euros)."
Inda added: "Varane is a very beloved player in the club and by his teammates, but he has not been comfortable since the Manchester City game (last season) and believes that he has been unfairly criticised."
Inda was referring to Real Madrid's Champions League defeat at City last season in the round of 16, where Varane was blamed by the Madrid press for the early elimination.
- updated March 31
